Support growing for children of young Red Deer couple killed in motorcycle crash

WATCH: Support is growing to help a couple's two children after a tragic motorcycle crash near Innisfail, Alta., claimed the lives of a young mother and father. Christa Dao has more on how the community is helping.

Both kids have severe hearing impairments which means costly hearing aids and many trips to Calgary for checkups. According to their grandfather, the hearing aids have drastically improved their lives.

“They weren’t picking up the speech and we found out they’re luckily able to have hearing aids… so with the hearing aids, Arielle’s speech came around really quickly,” Ben said.

Both grandparents said they’re overwhelmed by the immense amount of support they’ve received from family and friends.

“We’d like to say we’re sharing,” Marilyn said. “Arielle’s learning she doesn’t have one family, she has eight families.”

A GoFundMe page to help raise money for the two kids’ future had amassed to more than $70,000 by 7 p.m. on Friday.

“It’s a long road for the kids… the GoFundMe page has raised more money than we ever could on our own,” Ben said, adding the money will go directly into a trust fund for the children.

“It takes a lot of money to raise two kids, especially two kids with hearing problems,” he said.

Ben and Marilyn said they’re grateful for the outpouring of support and love the community has shown.

“We really appreciate it… people are still donating and there are a lot of people who are still fundraising,” he said.

On May 2, RCMP said a truck was travelling eastbound on Highway 590 and was attempting to turn northbound onto the range road when it hit the motorcycle.

The family was devastated to hear of the fatal collision.

“The guy turned left in front of him and it was a head-on collision. They had no chance,” Ben said.

“It’s always hard to hear that news, especially when it’s both of them. You think one would make it, but both, that’s pretty difficult.”